Wrestling: Oscar Smith wins Southeastern title

CHESAPEAKE

Oscar Smith coach Sid Savoy’s long wait between Southeastern District tournament titles is over.

The Tigers piled up points in the morning wrestle-backs and cruised to the title Saturday at Grassfield.

“We just kept pecking away and not looking at the score,” said Savoy, whose team won consecutive titles in 1978-79 – his third and fourth years at the school. “Kids would say 'we’re losing,’ and I said 'nah, we’re just behind.’ There’s a big difference.”

The Tigers amassed 238 points and had three individual champions crowned – Bryan Saravia (103), Spencer Buettner (140) and Anthony Copeland (152).

“Knowing we haven’t won anything in over 30 years, we had to step up and do something about it,” Buettner said.

First-day leader Western Branch trailed 210-184½ heading into the final and third-place matches, but could only muster points in two additional matches and finished second, 45½ points behind.

The Bruins’ lone winner was Wil Everett, whose escape with 25 seconds remaining was enough to secure the 119-pound title over Grassfield’s Ryan Fairbee.

Grizzlies heavyweight Dennis King reeled off five straight points to rally from a 2-0 deficit and scored a late takedown to win 7-4 over Deep Creek’s Kindal Allen and reward the patient frenzy of the host fans.

Johnny McLanahan (130), Chris Mansfield (135), Gary Ochs (160) and Joey Grainger (171) were title-holders for Great Bridge, which placed third with 161 points.

Before the tournament, Savoy envisioned team depth would be a factor.

“Some guys fell a little short, but they know as a team they can count on each other,” he said. “One person can’t win the trophy, but 14 people can.”

Southeastern District tournament

At Grassfield

Team scores: Oscar Smith 238; Western Branch 192.5; Great Bridge 161; Hickory 129; Nansemond River 117; Grassfield 107; Lakeland 102.5; Indian River 102.5; Deep Creek 86; King’s Fork 42.5.

Finals

103: Saravia (OS) p. Hardy (NR), 4:43; 112: Self (H) d. Theroux (WB), 4-0; 119: Everett (WB) d. Fairbee (Grass), 6-5; 125: Williamson (DC) d. Hashemy (WB), 9-3; 130: McLanahan (GB) d. Slaughter (IR), 5-2; 135: Mansfield (GB) p. Miller (WB), 3:54; 140: Buettner (OS) p. Bialeschki (IR), 5:15; 145: Squyres (H) md. Land (OS), 15-4; 152: Copeland (OS) d. Whitehurst (GB), 5-1; 160: Ochs (GB) d. Hardy (NR), 7-2; 171: Grainger (GB) md. Cook (WB), 11-2; 189: Arnold (DC) d. Warren (OS), 8-6; 215: Howell (L) p. Gonzales (WB), 4:52; 285: King (Grass) d. Allen (DC), 7-4.

Third place

103: Grasty (WB) p. Mai (IR), 4:39; 112: Rawlings (KF) d. Cintron (DC), 7-4; 119: Williams (OS) d. Rice (L), 6-0; 125: Jonas (H) p. White (Grass), 4:58; 130: Zollars (OS) p. Beatty (NR), 3:30; 135: Smith (OS) d. Marquez (H), 7-2; 140: Krogsund (NR) d. Libraro (H), 1-0; 145: Reynolds (GB) d. Taylor (Grass), 9-5; 152: Sari (L) p. Gray (NR), 2:19; 160: Hommell (KF) p. Wilson (OS), 4:47; 171: Rowe (IR) d. Walker (NR), 4-0; 189: Rowe (IR) p. Cypress (WB), 2:44; 215: Hankins (H) d. Jones (GB), 3-1, OT; 285: Wyche (OS) p. Gardner (L), :36.